Glow
by Howl's Hatter
Summary: Not long ago Sophie went to the past to find out how to give Howl back his heart. Now he has to deal with the future and find out how to keep hers.
1. Part One: Prologue: Have we met before?

**DISCLAIMER: IDON'T OWN HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE**

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**GLOW**

_Part 1: Have we met before?_

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"It's your turn," Sophie arched a challenging eyebrow at Howl, a laughing smile tingeing her chocolate colored irises. Blue eyes darted back and forth, assessing the situation and to her further delight, Howl frowned slightly, giving him an innocent pout, like a boy who was being denied a toy he wanted, or a sweet. Another moment's pause and the great wizard slumped a little in his chair, his elbows splaying as he rested his chin, defeated, in his hands (still pouting too.)

"You know I don't have any other moves. You're just egging me on," he half-accused, half-grumbled, leaning back and stretching. "We're going to have to find a different game to play, since you keep beating me at this one." Sophie laughed and Howl had to struggle to keep the dejected expression on his face; he liked—no, he loved—her laugh. She didn't do it often, though she did smile more these days than those of the war, and he reveled in its sparkling nature. _All the witches and wizards in the world could not cast a spell like the one you have over me_, he mused, the dejected look falling completely from him to be replaced by a very warm and knowing one. To which, Sophie tilted her head to one side in question as if to say, _what?_ "Have I told you I find you beautiful today?" he smoothly answered her silent inquiry and she rolled her eyes.

"Flattery will never win you a game of chess," Sophie smiled and laced her fingers together, resting her chin on the backs of her hands. The very picture of reserved and in-control, she dissolved into something more resembling a picture of surprise and speechlessness as Howl closed the distance between them, his hands suddenly on her shoulders, standing behind her. He bent to bring his face next to hers, lips grazing her ear slightly.

"Mm, maybe so, but outside of a game of chess, what might flattery get me," he paused and dropped his voice to a whispering quality, "Hm, Sophie?" The hatter felt heat rush to her face—a little out of her inherent shyness, more out of proximity—and turned toward him.

"Well, it _won't_ get you out of cleaning duty today," she tried to tease in order to buy herself time to regain her composure, but Howl would have none of that and he leaned in closer, very gradually, but closer still.

"We are so certain of ourselves today, my love," he breathed, his tone clearly amused with her, against the nape of her neck and she gave an internal sigh of defeat. He would not be denied, it seemed.

"You don't play fair outside of chess, so it hardly matters how certain I am," she said, staring into his eyes, glad enough to let herself fall into their blueness. In response to this, Howl simply tipped her chin up slightly and brought his lips to hers, savoring something very human and something very otherworldly—desire and love, respectively. Sophie ran her hand lazily through his hair, still black as he never did dye it back. She didn't mind, as she found him attractive in both hair colors and regardless of hue, Howl was still Howl, which she was quickly remembering as he continued his engagement with her mouth, was a good thing. He trailed the tips of his fingers lightly down the side of her neck and Sophie's breath caught. She wasn't certain what was about to happen next but she would have to speculate if she wanted any idea because the door rattled a little and they broke their kiss just as Markl, Heen and the witch barreled in. Well, Markl barreled, Heen trotted and the witch kind of meandered in, but regardless, it was plenty reason enough for Sophie and Howl to recompose themselves. Howl now stood, leaning carelessly on the table's edge beside Sophie who busied herself returning the chess pieces to their starting points. Markl paused at the table, eyeing the board's quickly dissimilating end.

"She beat you again, hm?" he looked up at Howl who started to shrug and mumble something contrary until Sophie gently, but firmly, elbowed him and he admitted defeat.

"Mm, a game," the witch said absently as she made her way at her own pace to the sofa. Heen ran in circles.

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It was late afternoon, bordering on evening when Sophie was walking through town, on her way back to the shop, and therefore back to the castle.

Howl had—since the rebuilding of the castle—placed the portals again. There was the blue which was once more for Port Haven, the yellow which was for her town and the shop, the green which was still for the wastes or in this case, the sky if they were in the air, and the pinkish red for their secret garden. They had a small courtyard type thing on the outside of the castle but they did not use the door for that. Howl had made an ingenious little exit out of the side of a window and conjured up some ladder-type thing that somehow accommodated someone as small as Markl and someone as large as the witch. Heen, when he went down, used his ears to sort of float down and that suited him fine.

The setting sun cast an even gold over the town and Sophie let her eyes wander to the sky, all dusky and twilight-ridden as she continued to make her way through the quiet and empty streets. It seemed everyone had retired to their homes today about the same time, which was not unusual in peacetime. Her boots clicked against the cobblestone of the street in a soft rhythm and the lamps began to ignite as they did each night when an unsettling wind rustled through the center of town, causing her skirts to billow slightly and her hand to clutch her hat to her head. Not entirely satisfied that she was alone, Sophie turned and scanned the area.

No one.

_Hm_. She shrugged it off and kept on walking at a measured and even pace. If there was indeed someone particularly stealthy following her there was no need to alert them that she had noticed. _Act normal_, she recalled a certain wizard telling her, and suppressed a smile. The wind came again, this time distinctly unnatural with a whistling echo and Sophie let slip an "Oh!" as—having let go seconds earlier—her hat flew off her head, floating around a corner. Exasperated, Sophie half-considered not going after it. Certainly she was not at a shortage for hats! However, this one was special. It was the one that she had thought forever lost to Madame Sulliman's staff. More precisely, it was that hat, but repaired. Somehow—and she was careful not to press too inquiringly _exactly_ how—Howl had managed to retrieve it for her, and then in a much more explainable manner, fix it as good as new. Something of her old life that she did not wish to lose was embodied in that hat, and so, squaring her shoulders, she turned the corner to retrieve it.

Again, no one. Sophie repressed an indignant exhalation. To think she had been worried! And at what? The air? Shaking her head, she picked her hat up, and turned to continue on her way, running into something as she did so—or rather, someone.

"Oh, excuse me," she pardoned herself, backing up a step and stumbled, peering at the stranger before her. Donning a pressed and tailored black suit, coat tails and all, a man with white hair and green eyes stood in front of her, clearly unfazed by their brief run-in. His bangs were uneven at best and the overall tousled look of his hair didn't quite fit with his debonair attire, but it suited him, the white of his hair off-setting the white of his crisp white collared-shirt perfectly.

"Not a problem," the stranger waved a hand dismissively and Sophie inclined her head slightly, moving as if to leave when his hand firmly—but not harshly—planted itself on her shoulder. "Why the hurry, Sophie?" Her heart dropped and she spun around, flinching away from his touch.

"I don't know who you are, but I think you'd better leave now," she said this with more courage and boldness than she felt.

"But I just got to town my dear," his green eyes smiled at her in a way she was not comfortable with and before she could stop him, his right hand had reached across to grab her left.

"How I could be dear to someone I have never met before escapes me, but if you would be so kind, I really must be going," Sophie insisted a little more vehemently this time and snatched her hand back, rounding the corner in a hurry. The stranger shook his head, not the least bit undone by her abrupt flee.

"Ah, but you have met me before, Miss Hatter," he drawled lazily to nothing but the stillness of the air around him, and chuckled slightly. He could still hear the click and clack and tap of her boots hitting the cobblestone rather fiercely. A small frown graced his lips; he had not actually meant to frighten her so, just to surprise her. Ah well...

He would fix that soon enough. After all, he always got what he wanted—he smiled at the thought of Sophie, thinking how well her starry hair suited her—and no one would stop him.

"Not even Howl," he seemed to muse to himself and exited the side-alley, turning the corner in the same direction Sophie had headed, whistling to himself as he walked the empty street.

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First fic! Sorry I'm new. I don't even know if I should keep writing this….ahhh!

Xx

-Howl's Hatter


	2. Part Two: Is that so?

**Thanks for waiting, let me know what you think of this one if you've got a sec. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the kind and encouraging reviews. **

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**Glow**

_Part Two: Is that so?_

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"Just keep walking, Sophie...you're nearly there now..." Sophie's mumble trailed off a bit. She had—it appeared—a habit of talking to herself when unordinary things began to happen. The wind had picked up considerably and she was absently rubbing her arms up and down with her hands to keep her blood warm, or something like that and she was all too aware that much of her coldness had nothing to do with the wind.

Green eyes burned a prospective stare into her back and she was rigid with anxiety that was as well masked with a bold indignant front as she could manage.

"**Stop,"** it was not quite a whisper, but his voice was like winter shivers. Sophie steeled herself mentally since she was suddenly immobile physically. Her ears noted the scuff of his heels as they approached her. _I've had about enough of this, _she thought in an uncharacteristically dark fashion.

"Sorry, I can't have you running off yet though," the stranger from moments before said conversationally as he circled around to stand in front of Sophie who glared without restraint. "I really am, Sophie," his voice took on a soft quality Sophie did not expect and she felt her _I-despise-you-with-every-fiber-of-my-being glare_ falter against her will. He did _sound_ like he was sorry.

"What is it you want, anyway?" she asked, resigned to being stuck with this nameless man for now. Rubbing the back of his head as if sheepish, the man seemed to want to sigh and laugh all at once but settled for crossing his arms.

"I want you—" he started.

"I love Howl," she said simply, cutting his words off short, and present company nodded thoughtfully.

"I suspected as much and believe me when I tell you I do not wish to be the parting force for you, but I am left with little choice. You see, I want—no, _I need_ you to come to the future with me...you'll see what I mean, love" he explained, the endearment at the end more of a whisper than his binding spell, but Sophie heard anyway.

"What did you call me?" she feigned innocence, as though thinking he had called her 'sir' instead of 'love.'

"I called you nothing," was his calm reply and Sophie could not explain the bitter taste that reply left in her mouth or the hollowing of her heart. _What is going on?_ She thought to herself with no small amount of exasperation and equal confusion.

"I've had quite enough of time travel, thanks," Sophie proclaimed, brown eyes burning a strangely emotionless stare into the green ones of this strange man.

"I knew you'd say as much, but it really can't be helped. No such thing as mistakes in this world, Sophie. You should know that by now," he said and added again, "I am sorry." He turned from her momentarily and he was fiddling with something strange...it looked like an hourglass from what she could see. And then it dawned on her. _Oh no...please_..

Her plea was little more than a murmur, lost to him because she could barely find the strength to make her lips form the words, all the fire suddenly drained from her. Was this what it felt like to lose hope?

To lose Howl?

Sophie struggled at the invisible bonds to no avail.

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Howl was bent over a spell book of sorts, studying goodness knows what when he felt something tugging at his elbow. He turned.

"What is it Markl?" he said.

"Where's Sophie?" Markl asked and Howl let his eyes wander to the window. The sun had nearly set and he had barely noticed. He wondered sometimes if he shouldn't bewitch himself to be more attentive and, unintentionally ignoring Markl's question, he swept out the door, letting it slam shut into its shaking frame.

_The streets should not be empty so early_, Howl thought, his brow furrowing in no small amount of worry as he rounded a corner to find a strange scene indeed. Sophie stood, very still behind a man who was almost comically fidgeting with an hourglass apparatus of some sort. He did nothing to constrain the glare his blue eyes focused on the strange man and any passerby—though of course there were none to speak of—would have marveled at how much fire could be found in eyes the color of the ocean.

The man chose this moment to glance up and notice Howl was there at all and jumped a bit.

"Oh, Howl. It's just you. Okay," the stranger seemed relieved despite the glare he was receiving and went back to fiddling with his hourglass. Sophie for her part was confused. Not a moment ago he was the picture of a strange but suave decorum that bespoke elegance and knowledge. Now he was fiddling with a gadget and speaking and acting like...well, the opposite. Oddly though, equally oddly in fact, she found she preferred this version of him. It seemed more natural, though how she should know what was more natural and what wasn't for someone she had just met, well...she wasn't sure she wanted to know the reason for that.

"Sophie," Howl stepped forward. Unfortunately, the stranger, not looking up, stepped between them every time Howl tried to get past him. Eventually, Howl just leapt over him, landing directly in front of Sophie. He waved a hand and Sophie came tumbling onto him. In another circumstance, Howl would not have minded of course. As it was, they had an eccentric-could-be-threat still standing within a foot of them, mumbling to himself. The wizard arched an eyebrow at her, not unlike she had done to him over an earlier game of chess and he motioned with his eyes to the stranger. Sophie shook her head and raised her hands as if to say: 'don't look at me, I don't know him!'

"Erm, ahem," Howl tapped the man on the shoulder, eliciting another jump from him and a startled yelp. Well, it seemed like a yelp. When the young man turned to face the couple, his eyes were blank for a moment and then widened.

"What?" he almost seemed annoyed. This was strange, very strange, Sophie could not help but think.

"Are you _serious_?" Howl finally decided on.

"Very," the young man nodded emphatically and turned back to his gadget when Howl drew him back with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hold on a second there," Howl reached out a hand but the stranger gave the hourglass a whirl of his hand, setting it spinning. He held it just out of Howl's reach, far from him.

"No time to wait, though I do suggest you hold on. I hadn't foreseen this but it looks as if you're coming along for the ride," the stranger said and took one of Sophie's hands in his, pulling her forcibly to him. She ran into him, as expected and just as Howl reached out to take her back, the world began to spin as fast as the hourglass—now whirling so fast one could not see it but for a rapid blur. Earth and sky merged and everything became a wide circular labyrinth of murky content.

Sophie had the brief impression of being spirited out of her own body as she felt displaced in time and space, looking around. To her shock, she also realized at some point that her hand was tightly clasping the stranger's, as if for comfort. She quickly let go and the stranger simply moved his hand to her shoulder as the world continued to spin.

"What is happening?" she called frantically into the hiss of the wind.

"Time travel, don't you recognize it, Sophie?" the man asked.

"This is completely different, I don't trust you!" she tried to pull away but the stranger put both hands on her shoulders and spun Sophie around to face him, lowering his head to knock foreheads with her gently.

"You have to Sophie, for all our sakes," he whispered and Sophie opened her mouth to say something but could find no words to say. She closed her eyes, trying very hard not to admit how drawn she was to this complete stranger and how disturbing it was to feel as if she knew him when there was no possible way she could...not that she was aware of anyway. She opened her eyes again only to find his glowing stare on her and she tried to push him away.

"Please, just let us go. Let Howl and I go, we are of no importance," she began in new desperation and the man tightened his previously gentle grip on Sophie's shoulders. She winced.

"Sophie, I can't!" his voice rose and he was serious as when he first arrived again. Sophie fell silent and looked down. A flash of remorse resonated in the man's eyes and he loosened his grip as he tilted Sophie's chin up gently with one hand. "Hey, I'm sorry...again," he laughed. "But you need to come, and you will see why…" he trailed off, leaning in towards Sophie who felt her heart beating loudly in her ears. She could feel his breath on her lips and only realized what was happening when it was too late: he kissed her.

And to her shock, she found herself kissing back as the world finally stopped spinning around them.

_Howl_, her heart cried out and startled, Sophie pulled herself free this time, stumbling away from the man, horrified at her actions and his advance all at once.

"What have I done?" she murmured to herself, pained and full of a heartbreaking shame. The man reached out to her. She slapped his hand away. "What have I done?" she repeated as she looked around wildly. Howl was nowhere. "Where is he? Where is Howl?" she turned to the man and the man shrugged apologetically.

"That happens sometimes with this hourglass, it doesn't like transporting more than two and I hadn't bargained on Howl' coming with," the man explained as if it should make everything seem right with the world. Sophie groaned, burying her face in her hands. She sat on the ground, skirts pooling around her gracefully even in her confusion.

"I betrayed him," she mumbled to herself brokenly. The stranger again tried to comfort her but she flinched away and he sadly dropped his attempt.

"You didn't really. I kissed you...I'm not sorry either. I couldn't help it," the man said.

"Who are you? Where are we? When are we?" Sophie asked at last, wiping tears away with the back of her hand, at her wit's end with the craziness that had so far transpired.

"We are five years in the future. We are still in Ingary. And I am Henry...your husband."

"Is that so?" Sophie laughed hollowly, standing abruptly, swaying from the delayed dizzy spell induced by time travel.

"Careful Sophie, you know time travel doesn't sit well with you...well, you don't know that now, but the you from now would know that if...Sophie, stop moving about like that. You'll hurt yourself," the man now known to be Henry—her husband evidently—clambered after her as she paced in furious circles, eyes hazy and unfocused.

"Is that so?" she asked again though not really directed at Henry, and she swayed again, stumbled...and her eyes fluttered unwillingly shut with sudden and intense fatigue.

Her last and vaguest notion was that of strong arms catching her body gently as she felt herself falling...and then nothing but darkness.

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So sorry for the delay, let me know what you think. I know this deviates severely from anything usually done, but go with me on it. It might be fun, yes? 

-sofi


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